The two finalists have met just once before, two years ago on clay in Warsaw when Henin ran out a straight-sets winner.

The form both players displayed in their respective semis suggests it could be a close call on Saturday, although 25-year-old Belgian Henin will start as favourite owing to her experience on the Parisian dirt.

The champion here in 2003, 2005 and 2006, Henin said: “She won in Berlin this year and she’s very confident. She’s matured a lot over the last year.

“I think the player who manages to control the match better will win.

“This is my favourite event. It was the tournament I watched as a little girl, and it was a dream for me to win it once. And I have done it three times.

“I still have a lot to do to win it a fourth time.”

Ivanovic added: “It will be an amazingly tough match. “Justine has won this tournament a few times and she’s playing well on clay.

“But it’s important for me to play my game and just focus.

“I’m very excited, though. Coming here, I didn’t expect any of this. I just tried to focus on each match separately.”

Henin was thrilled with the way she dealt with Jankovic, who had emerged as a dark horse for the title owing to her three tour wins this year and also her elimination of Venus Williams and Nicole Vaidisova on her run to the semis.

“It was very positive,” the Belgian said. “It was a tactical match and it was perfect.

“I was ready to play a tough match and ready to play hard on every point.”